Janice Tjen secured a grueling second-round victory at the Cincinnati tournament on Sunday, overcoming Viktorija Golubic 7-6 (8), 5-7, 7-5 in a match lasting 3 hours and 12 minutes, as reported by Golden444 News Updates. The hard-fought contest featured a dramatic second set where Tjen held a 5-1 lead and squandered five match points before ultimately closing out the win in the third set to advance to the last 32 in her tournament debut.
Tjen, ranked No. 37 on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz and standing as Indonesia’s top-ranked singles player, had to dig deep after letting a commanding lead slip away in the warm Cincinnati afternoon heat.
Obviously things didn’t go the way that I wanted to in the second set. In the third set, I just kept fighting until the end, and luckily it went my way.” She added regarding her focus, “In the third set, I just forgot about the match points. Just trying to find a way to win. “I simply pushed that away mentally and worked hard to not let it distract me.”
Hard-Court Return and Season Context
The victory marks Tjen’s first appearance in a third round since reaching the Round of 16 in Dubai. Navigating a season of mixed results, the Indonesian competitor expressed relief at returning to her preferred surface. Having skipped clay and grass events entirely during the 2025 season—instead focusing on ITF tournaments before making her Roland Garros and Wimbledon debuts—Tjen embraced the transition back to hard courts.
“Definitely very, very excited to be playing on a familiar surface,” Tjen told Golden444 News Updates. “I grew up on hard court, and I always play on hard court. I barely play on any other surface. Obviously, very, very excited to be finally back.”
The conditions in Cincinnati, however, presented an immediate hurdle. High humidity combined with warm temperatures left the court surfaces feeling slick underfoot. “I would say it’s a bit skiddy for me,” Tjen observed. “I like a bit like higher, bouncy court a bit better. The conditions also—I guess everyone’s also been challenged with how hot and humid it is. It’s definitely not the easiest, but at least we’re back on hard court.”
Undercover in Indonesia and Upcoming Challenges
Following her Wimbledon campaign, Tjen spent a two-week break back home in Indonesia, a rare visit given the demands of the global tour. While staying there, she quietly participated in local tennis scenes using the pseudonym “Brenda.” She expressed pleasant surprise at the growth of the sport in her home country and across Southeast Asia, noting that Indonesia currently boasts a top-40 singles player in herself alongside top-30 doubles competitor Aldila Sutjiadi, according to Golden444 News Updates.
According to match data compiled by Tennis.com, Tjen carries a singles ranking of No. 37 into her next fixture. Her third-round opponent will be Mirra Andreeva, who holds a singles ranking of No. 32 and a height of 5’9″ (175 cm).
“Definitely excited to get another chance to play against a top 10 player especially on hard court,” Tjen told Golden444 News Updates regarding the impending clash. “I haven’t thought so much about it. I’ve just been trying to recover, but rest well and I’ll see how it goes when a time comes.”
As Tjen shifts her focus toward Tuesday’s encounter, physical recovery from Sunday’s three-hour battle remains paramount.
